Former world champion Shaun Murphy has slammed the decision by World Snooker bosses to allow Ronnie O'Sullivan to skip his Masters media commitments.

Murphy said: "Graeme Dott did his press conference after discovering his wife might have had cancer.

"Paul Hunter fulfilled his obligations at the World Championship last season when he was dying from cancer.

"How much more serious can it be? We are all entertainers and have a duty to promote the sport."

O'Sullivan has reached an agreement with World Snooker not to fulfil the usual post-match news conference duties after his walk-out during the UK Championship quarter-final against Stephen Hendry last month.

He has held talks with the governing body's chairman Rodney Walker over the incident, but there has been no formal disciplinary action. Murphy said: "World Snooker's silence has done nothing to appease anyone.

"I cannot imagine any other sportsman doing what Ronnie did. Can you imagine Roger Federer walking off Centre Court at Wimbledon?

"He shouldn't come to events if he doesn't intend to see them through."